Second to Go
by DizmiusArtistius
Summary: *updated* the new DADA teacher seems oddly familiar, but can Harry piece it together before Fudge catches up with Sirius...
1. DADA surprises

Second to Go- one  
  
Disclaimers as per usual - I don't own anything other than Edea blah blah blah  
  
***  
  
  
Hermione glanced at her new timetable. "I wonder who the new Defence against Dark Arts teacher will be."  
  
"Lupin maybe?" Ron suggested  
  
"I asked Snuffles." Harry said quietly, "He said Lupin was busy herding the Dumbledore supporters."  
  
"Maybe Moody will teach again." Ron gestured with his pumpkin juice. "Well it's our first lesson, so I guess we'll find out."  
***  
  
They had been sitting in the DADA classroom for a while now, and no teacher had appeared. Hermione was all for going to get Professor McGonagall, which annoyed a few students, their questions were answered when a figure in a dark cloak swept in, panting as if she'd ran quite a long way.  
  
"Sorry, guys." She said. "Ministry troubles." The figure swept off her cloak using magic to hang it from a peg on the wall. "Right, Defence against Dark Arts, fascinating stuff." She pointed her want at a piece of chalk ("skriv det") that jumped up at started writing on the board. "I'm your new DADA teacher, Edea DuCruet. Some of you I know, will already know me. Hi to those who do. For those who don't I'm an Auror for the ministry, and I won't be here all the time. Obviously, because of my job."  
  
Harry read the writing on the board wide-eyed "Azkaban." It read.  
  
"Okay, lesson the first." Edea perched on the table. "Azkaban, it's a wizarding prison, formerly inescapable, but it's been proved that this is not so." Harry thought he saw Edea smile, he frowned. "Anyhow, does anybody know what it was before a prison?"  
  
As usual Hermione stuck her hand up in the air. "Oh, yes, Miss Granger, Professor Lupin has told me a lot about you, please, do tell us."  
  
"It was a breeding ground for the Dementors, It was where they were first discovered in large quantities." Hermione smiled.  
  
"Indeed it was." Edea looked up at the board where the chalk was hovering after writing down what Hermione had said. "Okay write that down, guys."  
  
Her class was pretty interesting, she had managed to keep most of the students in a haze with her quick wit and sharp comments to those who dozed off. After a big debate on the Dementors, Harry felt an urge to put up his hand.  
  
"Yes Harry?"  
  
"Uh… I was just wondering… How do people escape from Azkaban?"  
Edea raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "I don't know. You'll have to ask Sirius Black, won't you."  
  
The class giggled.  
  
"Okay, homework." Edea snapped shut her book. "Page 286 has a great deal on Azkaban. I want you to summarise it for me, any extra info will get you higher marks obviously. Next lesson I want it handed in, if it isn't you shall face the wrath."  
  
Right on cue the bell rang. "Go on, off with you." Edea waved them out, siting wearily down at her desk pulling out a piece of parchment from her pocket. She didn't see Hary looking curiously at her as he left.  
***  
  
Later, in the common room, Harry was uncharacteristically quiet, Hermione and Ron had both noticed he'd been subdued since the DADA lesson. Hermione was getting tired with it and started to talk.  
"Harry? Is something wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" Harry looked up. "Not really. It's just… I dunno."  
  
"Explain." Hermione asked cautiously.  
  
"Well." Harry took a deep breath. "Professor DuCruet." He started. "I've seen her somewhere before."  
  
Hermione smiled weakly. "She's an Auror. Probably been on the front page of the daily prophet quite a few times."  
  
"No, I didn't recognise her at first. Then I remembered something, I almost called her Dayah." Harry frowned. "It's like I remember her from when I was little or something." Suddenly something hit him. "She was in the photograph of my mum and dad's wedding!"  
  
Harry raced up the stairs to grab the photo album he'd received a while ago, he flipped through the pages whilst walking back down to the common room. He found the page and sat down again, scanning the large photo until Hermione suddenly pointed at a girl waving up at them, her hair was long and untidy. Her grin matched the person standing beside her. "It's Sirius!" Harry recognised his godfather, who's arm was round Edea DuCruet.   
  
"Oh. My. God." Ron exclaimed. "Do you think she knows?"  
  
"Ron, this was along time ago." Harry kept flicking through, finding odd pictures of her with James and Lily, her with Remus, but very few with Sirius. In fact, there were very few of Sirius anyway. "Sirius never said anything about her."  
***  
  
Later that night, Hary composed a letter to Sirius.- Sirius, just writing to say hello! We have a new defence against dark arts teacher, she's called Edea DuCruet. I thought I'd seen her before somewhere. She's in lots of the photos of you and dad. Do you know her? Why didn't you tell me about her before?  
She's really cool. Write back soon, and say hi to Buckbeat for me! Love, Harry.  
  
Uder the invisibility cloak he went up to the owlery and gave the letter to a very happy Hedwig. Satisfied, he walked back down to the Fat Lady.  
"Password, dear?"  
"Fiddlesticks." Harry answered, as the portrait swung open.  
  
TBC  



	2. Motorbikes, Tea and Owls.

SECOND TO GO- *TWO*  
  
Sirius sat at Lupin's table, deep in conversation with a piece of plasticine.  
"Err... no. I've never heard of Edea in my life.. she says she knows me... how odd!"  
  
Lupin looked up from his chair by the fire, "That's one of the largest lies i've ever head coming out of your mouth."  
  
"Yeah, so what do i say?"  
  
"Just tell the poor kid you know her."  
  
Sirius groaned.  
  
"Why don't you want to?" Lupin moved closer, squishing the piece of plasticine beneath his hand.  
  
"Moony.." Sirius frowned, "It'll only make him ask more questions. Right now he doesn't need more questions. I don't know why she's teaching anyway, you know she always swore never to become a teacher."  
  
"I thought she was fully employed as an Auror of the ministry anyway."  
  
"She is." Sirius held back a grin. "I saw her once, dragging in one of the Lestranges into the cell opposite me. She never even noticed i was there."  
  
"Oh didn't she?" Remus asked with a glint in his eye.  
  
"No." Sirius's jaw dropped. "Did she say something to you? She always wrote to you."  
  
"She stopped for a few years. Disappeared into the land of muggles. I hear she made a good deal of money by singing in pubs and bars around the country." Remus got up and fished round in some drawers. "But yes, she always wrote, telling me what she was up to."  
  
"Did she ever..."  
  
"Ask after you? No. Last i heard she had some sort of living arrangement with Snape."  
  
Sirius fell off his chair. "SNAPE?! WHY SNAPE?"  
  
"He offered, it was just a convenience thing." Remus shugged. "Write to him, then we can take Arabella to Hogwarts with us."  
  
"She okay?"  
  
"Still in shock from seeing you grin at her." Remus grinned slightly. "Oh Padfoot, when will you learn."   
  
"Do you think Harry remembers?" Sirius mused, whilt twirling his quill around his fingers.  
  
"Who? Pah-fuuf and Dayah?"  
  
"Uh huh." Sirius smiled, "He always could say Moony. Remember that? He used to scream it out when you and i walked in."  
  
"My ears are still ringing."Remus commented dryly.  
***  
  
  
  
Harry woke up early the next morning. He'd awoken froma fabulous dream, Quidditch with his father and Sirius. He was actually quite sad that it had finished. Seeing that Ron was sleeping, he pulled on his robes and quietly slipped out of the dormitory and out of the portrait hole.  
He headed down to Hagrid's hut, where a warm glow was coming from the windows. He was awake, probably feeding some new monstrosity he'd bred over the summer. Cautiously he opened the door.  
  
"'Arry!" Hagrid beamed, "Good te see yeh."   
  
"Hi Hagrid." Harry looked with interest at a small box on the table, "New creature?"  
  
"Tha's none o' yeh business." Hagrid said a bit huffily. "If yeh must know, it's for Dumbledore."  
  
"A baby three legged dog?"  
  
"S'not a creature." Hagrid said in a hushed voice. "Well, not yet... Yeh want some tea?"  
  
"Er, no thanks." Harry pulled his robes around him. "I just wanted to say hello."  
  
"Ah, yeh get woken up by the light, eh?"  
  
"Sometihng like that."  
  
"I was up. Had teh fix Professor DuCruet's bike for her." Hagrid pointed at an oily cloth on the floor. "I'm not just good wi' creatures ya know, don' look so surprised!"  
  
"She cycled to Hogwarts?" Harry said somewhat incredulously.  
  
"NAh, not a bike, a motorbike." Hagrid suddenly realised he'd said too much and quickly changed the subject. "Hows yeh classes going?"  
  
Harry wasn't falling for the diversion. "Why does she have a motorbike?"  
  
"Left to her, old friend didn't need it no more." Hagrid started busying himself with the oversized teapot. "Yeh sure yeh don' want some tea?"   
  
"Yeah, i should really get back, its breakfast in a minute, and Hermione will start worrying."  
  
"Alrigh' I'll see yeh in my lesson." Hagrid waved as Harry sprinted up to the castle.  
***  
  
Harry had forgotten about the mysterious motorbike, he was too busy laughing as some joke Fred and George had pulled on Malfoy. At present, his hair was sprouting four leaved clover.   
  
"You know, they're really going to get in trouble." Hermione said bossily.  
  
"So? They enjoy it." Ron buttered some toast. "It keeps mum on her toes when she gets letters from Dumbledore."  
  
"I still think its wrong. Even if it IS on Malfoy." Hermione mumbled, looking up as the daily owls flew in. Harry saw Hedwig soar down with a piece of parchment in his beak.  
  
"Hey, Hedwig." Harry stroked her back as she helped herself to his juice. "Snuffles replied." He motioned to Hermione and Ron who moved closer to read the note. "Dear Harry, nice to hear from you. Hope Snape's not giving you too much trouble. I'm heading back to Hogwarts with Lupin and Arabella, so you might see us before Hedwig gets to you! In answer to your question, yes i do know Edea. It's a very long story which starts in Hogwarts and ends with Azkaban. Painful subject. Do me a favour and don't bring it up with her, she might lash out! See you in the very near future, Snuffles."  
  
"Whoa." Hermione exclaimed. "He's turned all businesslike, thats so not like him."  
  
"Maybe he just doesn't want to talk about it." Ron munched on a piece of toast. "But you can always ask Lupin, because if she knows Sirius, she's bound to know Lupin, right?"  
  
"That's the general idea." Harry nodded, "I wonder what happened." He glanced up at the professors table where Edea was deep in conversation with Snape. She was gesturing with her hands and to be frank, Snape looked enraptured.  
  
"I wonder if Snape has something to do with it." Ron said darkly.  
  
"If he can get one over Sirius, of course he has." Hermione snorted. "Come on, we need to get to History of Magic, we're learning about Salem today."  
  
"Excuse my apparent lack of enthusiasm, won't you." Harry rolled his eyes.   
***  
  
Lupin, Sirius and Arabella were talking to Dumbledore in his office.   
"I'm glad they found you Arabella." Dumbledore smiled, "I have a matter of some importance to discuss with you."  
  
"Of course. It has something to do with the Dark Lord?"  
  
"Indeed it has." Dumbledore looked at Lupin and Sirius, "I'm sure you wish to see Harry, you may do so whilst i talk to Arabella, he has my permission to leave whatever lesson he may be in."  
  
Sirius and Lupin nodded, heading out into the corridors, Sirius as his animagus form, trotting behind Lupin, they rounded a corner and 'BAM'. Lupin ran headfirst into someone. Sirius couldn't help laughing, which came out as a wheezing bark.  
  
He stopped laughing when he saw who Remus was helping up. In fact, he whined nasally.  
  
"OH. MY. GOD." Edea raised an eyebrow. "YOU!" She pointed at the dog, who wore an "Who, me?" expression. "Sirius!"  
  
"Don't say it too loudly." Remus choked out, "And you call yourself an auror!"  
  
"No, thats what the ministry calls me." Edea waved away the comment, "WHAT are you doing here?"  
  
"GRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Sirius growled at her.  
  
"Moony?"  
  
"Business, had to talk to Dumbledore." Remus sighed. Looking from Sirius baring his teeth, to Edea, obviously not in the best of moods.  
  
"Sirius, just be yourself." Edea rolled her eyes. "Please?"  
  
Sirius transformed with a pop, leaning against the wall. "Hi." He said quietly.  
  
"Going to see Harry?"   
  
"That's the idea." Sirius nodded, the epitome of coolness.   
  
"History of Magic." Edea stated, "He'll be pleased you came."  
  
"I know." Sirius muttered. "Should have gone to see him earlier, just didn't have the time."  
  
"Don't kill yourself about it, Padfoot." Remus shrugged, "I always hated History of Magic too."  
  
"I should go." Edea looked down at her books in her arms. "Lessons and things."  
  
"You dont think i know, but i know you think i dont know, and i do know it." Sirius suddenly blurted out.  
  
"Uh?" Edea turned back, "English translation preferble, i don't speak Sirius-Gibberish."  
  
"You used to." Sirus looked away. "I know about Snape."  
  
Edea laughed. "I rent SPACE from him. okay? SPACE, i don't live there. YUCK. i had to drop my old stuff somewhere." She said as she walked off down the corridor, "Really, Sirius, what do you think i am?"  
  
Sirius glared at Remus, "YOU TOLD ME SHE LIVED WITH THE GREASY...." He whispered harshely.  
  
Remus threw up his hands, "Well it looked like that."  
  
"I just made myself look like a prat!" He saw Remus's odd look and added, "MORE than usual."  
  
"And you're suddenly worried about that?"  
  
"YES."   
  
"Oh, padfoot." Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius transformed back into the dog, and Remus opened the History of Magic classroom door. "Uh, professor Binns? I have permission from Professor Dumbledore to talk to Harry on some matters, may i?"  
  
"And of course the actual witches did not seem to.... REMUS!" Professor Binns looked up from the students, "Of course, of course."  
  
Harry got up smiling and dumped his books in his bag before closing the door behind him,  
"HI guys!" He grinned, "Do we want to go somewhere..."  
  
"The commonroom, i think." Lupin gestured to Harry to lead the way. Whilst Harry told them about the holidays and how Dudley had come worst of with some older bullies at his school. Sirius barked delightedly, running round them weavin round legs until they reached the portrait hole.  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Fudged again

SECOND TO GO- *Three*  
dedicated to holly for dedicating her last story to me....  
  
A Very Irate Cornelius Fudge sat at his desk, he'd had not one, two or three but FOUR sightings of Sirius Black in the past two days. He'd reported this to all his Aurors in service and they'd stepped up their plans. Well, all but one. He'd received no reply from Miss DuCruet, which was strange. Especially as the last sighting of Sirius was near Hogwarts. He was waiting for his valet to arrive so he could have his travelling cloak buffed before he left for Hogwarts. He had a sneaking suspicion that where that werewolf went, Sirius wouldn't be far behind.  
***  
  
  
"So, you went to Scotland?" Harry asked excidedly, "Did you wear a kilt as camouflage?"  
  
"Very funny." Sirius grinned. "I, myself didn't but my dear friend sitting next to me, did."  
  
"Lupin!" Harry exclaimed  
  
"It was a dare." Remus smiled, "He told me to show of my legs, so i did."  
  
"He can't refuse a dare." Sirius poked his old friend. "Can ya!"  
  
"Padfoot..." Remus said warningly.  
  
"Uhm, Sirius, can i ask you something?"  
  
Sirius felt his grin slide, "Errr, okay."  
  
Remus frowned, he knew what was coming.  
  
"It's about Professor DuCruet..."  
  
"How did i guess." Sirius smiled, "Yeah, go ahead..."  
  
"STOP RIGHT THERE! SIRIUS BLACK YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FROM THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC." A redfaced Fudge screamed as he and some fellow Aurors ran into the room, magically binding Sirius in chains.  
  
"HARRY! GET AWAY FROM HIM." Fudge ordered. Harry stood still as some aurors he did not recognise started advancing toawrds his godfather. Lupin stayed calm, just staring at Fudge.  
  
"Now, really!" Dumbledore blocked the way to the door. "Do you really think that this is..."  
  
"YES I DO. EXCUSE ME FOR TAKING AWAY A VERY DANGEROUS MURDERER FROM YOUR SCHOOL!" Fudge pushed past Dumbledore, his aurors dragging a fully bound Sirius out of the room. He turned back, looking pleadingly at Remus and Harry, before the door slammed shut.  
  
"Headmaster!" Remus ran towards a slightly tired loking Dumbledore, "You didn't stop him?"  
  
"What can i do?" Dumbledore shook his head sadly "I can't directly disobey the minister of magic, Remus. Even i have to adhere to rules."  
  
Harry was dumbstruck, couldnt even move from his spot, five minutes ago they were laughing as if Azkaban had never happened. Now it had all gone wrong. "The kiss.. they'll give him the kiss.." he whispered.  
  
"No, i don't believe they will, not yet." Dumbledore looked pensive, "Fudge will want to gloat, and show everyone he found Sirius, they'll give him a trial just to prove they've caught him. I doubt they'll let him talk or have what muggles call a lawyer. To be represented, he'll need a ministry member or a wizard of some importance that knows him throughout."  
  
"You could?" Remus asked.  
  
"No, they'd think i was biased."  
***  
  
  
  
Edea was in the middle of teaching 3rd years about bogarts when she heard a commotion coming from outside the school. Ordering the class back into their seats, she peered out of one of the tall windows, and shrieked.  
  
"For god's sake don't leave this room until the bell goes, do you hear me?" She said pointedly at the class, before grabbing her wand off the desk and running out of the classroom.  
  
Some of the studens were muttering to themselves, but daren't leave their desks to find out.  
  
Edea ran through the halls trying to find the quickest exit out. She burst through the great oak doors and caught sight of Fudge getting into his ministry car. "Sirius." she whispered.  
  
"He won't be coming out very soon," Snape said from beside her, "Cause for celebration, dont you think?"  
  
She decked him, right infront of the Slytherin potions students who had followed their house master out into the grounds to watch. Draco Malfoy looked purely shocked and started muttering to his goons Crabbe and Goyle, but Edea didn't have the time to even lok at the unconscious teacher at her feet. She turned towards Hagrid's hut and made a run for her bike.  
  
  
TBC 


	4. Injustice

SECOND TO GO- *Four*  
  
  
  
  
  
"She punched him?" Hermione sounded shocked, "What did she do that for?"   
  
"He said something." Ron shrugged, "Nobody heard what it was."  
  
Harry was sitting by the window just staring out at the grounds, he hadn't heard their conversation and was deep in his own thoughts. He'd spent most of yesterday in Dumbledore's office with Lupin, discussing what to do next.   
  
"Surely, if he's on trial, he'll get a lawyer?" Harry had asked  
  
"Wizarding systems don't work that way." Dumbledore had shaken his head sadly.  
  
Harry blamed himself, he had wanted to talk to Sirius, if he had just waited, had some patience, then Sirius wouldn't be in the cell that he was most probably in right now.  
***  
  
  
  
  
"Well, look who the cat brought in." An auror by the name of Xanthe Langlay peered through the bars of the cell door, which was keeping Sirius Black away from the outside world.   
  
Sirius said nothing, just peered up at her jeering face.  
  
"You know, you won't get out of here alive." Xanthe smiled  
  
"Thats what they said about Azkaban the first time." Sirius whispered hoarsely.  
  
"You should be ashamed."  
  
"I am." He said, "I've no doubt caused my godson a lot of trouble now, and no doubt will be causing more."  
  
"Your trial begins soon, you know that?"  
  
"Why bother? I didn't have one the first time."  
  
"The public needs proof you're caught. They want to see James Potter's famous betraying friend for themselves." Xanthe raised an eyebrow. "I wonder how you'll get out of this one."  
  
"I don't wonder. I tend to just *do*." Sirius spat. "Wondering caused the death of my friend. THAT is how useless wondering is."  
  
Xanthe walked away, the court room was filling up quickly. No one had stepped forward as Sirius' speaker, there was no defence, he was going down. The dementors were ready in a back room anyway."  
  
"Ah, Langlay," Cornelius Fudge hurried towards her, "You surveyed our prisoner?"  
  
"I have."  
  
"And?"  
  
"He'll do. Not on the violent side. I don't think we'll be needing too much reinforcements."  
  
"Good." Fudge sighed. "You know, i expected Dumbledore to stand up for that filth."  
  
"Even Dumbledore has morals." Xanthe snorted. "And he's seeing sense finally... Keeping that Potter boy in school but i'm not so sure about the werewolf, he may try to stand as Sirius' speaker."  
  
"A werewolf speaker!" Fudge almost laughed. "Not likely, its just not done. What could he say anyway?"  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
"But you don't undestand!" Harry almost shouted at Dumbledore, "I have to go see him!"  
  
"Harry, you can't..."  
  
"But i might never see him again, we HAVE to find Peter, you know Sirius is innocent, why can't you say something?"  
  
"Because they won't listen to me. Especially not a panel of judges with Fudge on."  
  
"Don't they understand? I need Sirius." Harry flumped down in the chair. "He's one of my only links to my past. He knows me, he knew my father."  
  
"I'm sorry Harry, but you must try to understand." Dumbledore looked up as a black raven flew in through the window it held a piece of parchment.  
  
"Raven mail? I thought only owls..."  
  
"Ravens.. Edea always used ravens." Dumbledore read the note and passed it to Harry.  
  
"Oh." Harry read, "Oh dear."  
  
"Surprising?"   
  
"I guess."  
  
"You don't know the DuCruets. All stubborn, Won't stop till they get their way. I remember Thomas DuCruet, her father. Goodness, i don't like to say this, but if there was one slytherin who i thought would be a death eater it was him."  
  
"And did he?"  
  
"No. He's retired but was working for the ministry for a while." Dumbleore suddenly smiled, "You know, they always went round Edea's in the Easter break. Huge house and nothing to do in it, i should imagine."  
  
"So Voldemort didn't..."  
  
"As far as i know her family are still alive. If not lying low, but still alive, oh yes."  
  
Harry looked at the note again. "She's allowed to represent him?"  
  
"Well, we shan't know until she tries."  
  
"Can we..."  
  
"No, Harry, you've already asked, i'm not planning on changing my mind. Taking you there is not a good idea."  
  
"But.."  
  
"No, Harry. I don't want you sneaking out to go, either. It is best if you busy yourself with something time consuming until we know the outcome. I'm sure Fudge will keep us posted."  
  
Harry saw his cue and walked out of the office, slightly light-headedly. This was not going to be a good year. He saw Ron coming out of DADA scowling, "You'll never guess who we've got teaching."  
  
"Snape." Hermoine looked bothered, like she'd been patronised again. "He was saying some awful things about Professor DuCruet."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"C'mon i'll tell you up in the common room." Ron looked up at the fat lady "concussion."  
  
  
A/N- sorry this is short, i've got a long bit coming that would make this just too long if you see what i mean. Thank you to... uhm oh here we go.... Padfootsgirl, Prongs, Voltora, Piper, Sweets, Arianwen, Erin and Ice Princess. Its nice to be appreciated! :)  
  
TBC 


	5. Exhibits A and B

SECOND TO GO- *Five*  
  
  
  
"I assure you, Mr.Black, what you have done will not go unrecognised, indeed i do not think the story has to be retold seeing as it is so familiar with everyone here within this courtroom." Cornelius Fudge was in his element.   
  
Sirius looked up at the wizards up in the gallery, they were watching him with a strange interest. He saw the Malfoys, the Bones, the Crabbes. Jeez, this was one helluva reunion.  
After a while he began to block out the insults Fudge was throwing at him until a comment knocked him out of his dreamlike state.  
  
"Mr. Black, i assume you do not have a speaker to speak on your behalf?"  
  
"Does it LOOK like i have one?" Sirius snapped.  
  
Fudge smiled weakly. "It appears that you have not."  
  
"Objection!!" A voice came out from the gallery. Sirius looked up to see an older but very familiar face. Mrs DuCruet, Edea's mother was standing up and brandishing a finger at Fudge.  
"How DARE you carry on without his speaker!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Fudge looked blankly at Mrs.DuCruet. "Are you standing up for this heinous murderer? Are you standing as his speaker?"  
  
"No, but I am." A voice came from the doorway.  
  
The court craened round to see who the voice came from.  
  
"Whoa, whole big party."She gazed up at the crowd, then at Fudge, "Sorry, Sir. Got a litle, er... sidetracked."  
  
"Miss, you're supposed to be in the gallery."  
  
"IS that how it's played now?" Sirius muttered.  
  
"I dont remember giving you permission to speak!" Fudge thundered. "And why are you in possession of TWO wands?"  
  
"This." She held up a wand in her gloved hand. "Is exhibit A."  
  
"This wand," She held up the other wand. "Is exhibit B, a wand i have just bought from Ollivanders. It is the brother of exhibit A."  
  
"You're planning on being Sirius Black's speaker?"  
  
"Oh yes." Edea grinned. "I surely do."  
  
Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. Edea wasn't perfect, but she was shrewd and could spot a possible argument a mile away.  
  
"Well." Fudge looked uncomfortable. "Begin."  
  
"Alright." Edea placed the wands own on the table. "Sirius, as you may or may not know, was very close to James Potter." She looked up at the crowd who murmured in assent.  
"Why would he go so far as to kill his best friends? and if he was going to do it, then why not kill them all? Why just James and Lily?"  
  
"HE was DERANGED!" Fudge shouted, "Did you see the picture?"  
  
"OF course." Edea snarked, "Who hasn't?" She sighed, "Anyway, IF YOU'LL LET ME CONTINUE...   
Wouldn't a likely murderer run for his life after commiting such a crime? But no, he went straight to the Potter's house, distraught and had to be comforted by Mr.Hagrid."  
  
"He was their secret keeper, who else would it be?" Fudge said, smiling as if he was playing his trump card.  
  
"Sirius, were you the Potter's secret keeper?"  
  
"No." Sirius said firmly.   
  
"Who was?"  
  
"Peter Pettigrew." Sirius stated.  
  
"Why was no-one told?"  
  
"It was a last minute plan. Voldemort would come after me, but i wouldn't be the keepr, noone would have thought we'd bestow such a responsibility on Peter."  
  
"HE'S LYING!" A person in the crowd shouted.  
  
"Yeah?" Edea peered up at him, "Prove it to me." The man sat back down and blushed slightly  
  
"You prove he's innocent."  
  
"Okay." Edea nodded. "Sirius, where is Peter now, if you are so sure he is not dead?"  
  
"I have no idea. Me and Remus were trying to find him.. we didn't. He escaped from Hogwarts where we thought we'd caught him."  
  
"Rubbish." Fudge sat down.  
  
"Sirius Black, did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Can you prove this?"  
  
"No, but i'm sure Miss DuCruet can." Sirus smiled at Fudge.  
  
"I think we can safely assume that there are a few Death Eaters in this courtroom." Edea glanced up momentarily at Lucius Malfoy. "They all know he's not dead. He brought Voldemort back to life as far as i've heard."  
  
The crowd shuddered at the mention of his name.  
  
"Its rather sad that none of them would dare to come up and give over the double crosser who doublecrossed them." Edea frowned.  
  
"Get on with it DuCruet, you have less than an hour,the dementors are waiting." Fudge hissed  
  
"I'm getting there." Edea motioned to Sirius, "he needs to be untied."  
  
"NO."  
  
"Oh well," Edea pointd her own wand at Sirius, who's shackes untied immediately. "Get your wand."  
  
Sirius picked up his wand witha grin, he hadn't seen this for over a decade.  
  
"Purely diagramatical situation here." Edea calmed down a very twitchy Fudge.  
  
"WHERE did you get his wand?" FUdge demanded  
  
"You kept it in the criminal artifacts place, i broke in and got it out." Edea said truthfully.  
"Can i continue, thank you."  
  
"What's going on?" Sirius whispered to Edea  
  
"It's not difficult magic to learn, and you all know about the Priori Incantatem spell that occurs between two wands of the same likeness. The stronger of the two will force the other to regurgitate the spells in the reverse order. Surely if Sirius DID kill PEter, his ghostlike form will appear as the last spell the wand was used for?"  
  
The jury nodded. Fudge looked unhappy.  
  
"I can't believe you didn't do this before." Edea threw a nasty look at Fudge.  
  
"You go through with this and you've lost your job for the ministry." Fudge sharled at her  
  
"IS that BLACKMAIL? in a court of wizarding law you're trying to BLACKMAIL me?" Edea said incredulously, Sirius stifled a laugh.  
  
"Please continue." Fudge looked red-faced  
  
"Sirius, just aim a spell at me, and i'll aim a spell at you. Anything you like."  
  
"Anything?"  
  
"Except the grass hair spell, do you realise how long that took to get out?"  
  
"OK."  
  
"Fudge count us in please."   
  
Fudge stood up, as Edea grabbed exhibit B, and Sirius waved his wand around, getting the feel of his long lost friend. "Uh.. Three!... Two!... One!..."  
  
"Furnunculus!" Sirius yelled as Edea shouted "Stupefy!"  
  
The two bolts of light connected in mid air, dragging the two wizards up into the electric air.  
Edea's wand was shaking so hard she was holding it with both hands... Sirius was loking in wonder as his orange bold was forced back into his wand... Then thin misty whips started coming out the end of his wand... Fudge was watching in wonder and the gallery was standing up to get a better look... A figure was creeeping out of his wand... it was Edea, she was scowling and had whiskers and a tail... that was the last spell he'd peformed. More spells of the same nature were coming out, Remus with dreadlocks, James with Rabbit's feet, and Lily with a heidi costume.  
  
The gallery was laughing, Fudge was seething and the jury were shaking their heads.  
  
"ENOUGH" Fudge shouted out as he broke the two wands contact, and Edea and Sirius fell to the floor.  
  
"That was embarrassing." Edea muttered. "I forgot about that."  
  
The jury were conversing. They were all arguing with each other.  
  
Fudge looked resigned, "It seems, from priori incantatem that Siris Black did not, i repeat, did NOT kill Peter Pettigrew. However, we can not assume he lives until he is brought forward."  
  
"Wont be a problem." Sirius muttered. "The moment he finds out i'm out..."  
  
"Who said anything about you being set free?" Fudge was shaking with anger  
  
The head juror stood up. "There is no reason to believe he commited the crime he was imprisoned for, he has no business in this court and is clearly free."  
  
"WHAT?" Fudge was almost screaming, "I SAW him!"  
  
"You can't fake a priori incantatem, sir." The juror shrugged. "We procalim Mr.Black innocent."  
  
Fudge slumped resignedly down into his chair. Sirius jumped up and hugged Edea, Edea just stood there, looking shocked. The gallery were of different opinions and soon left the room.  
  
"C'mon." Sirius pulled at Edea's sleeve, "We have to go see Harry."  
  
Edea gavea brief wave at Fudge before following Sirius out of the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N- WHoa, well that was a mess of a fanfic scene. Well it points out my views and thre you go, theres more to come somewere. We'll catch Peter somehow! Thank you to... my coffee machine, cookies, Padfootsgirl, Prongs, Voltora, Piper, Sweets, Arianwen, Erin and Ice Princess. Its nice to be appreciated! :)  
  
TBC 


	6. Can i take a "wow" as a yes please?

SECOND TO GO- *Six*  
  
A/n before you ask- no Edea is NOT a Mary-Sue. Ugh, definitely not, and she is in no way perfect after battle and isn't stunningly beautiful, just so you know.  
***  
  
  
  
Sirius slumped down into a chair outside the now empty courtroom, "Why did you do that?"  
  
"Instantaneous descision."  
  
"That was very nicely done." Sirius twirled his wand in his hand.  
  
"I know."  
  
Sirius snoted, "Well, aren't you modest."  
  
"As ever."  
  
"Fudge didn't look very pleased."  
  
"You know thats most probably because his wife was in the blast."  
  
"She was?"  
  
"First wife." Edea nodded. "I watched."  
  
"You were there?"  
  
"No." Edea sighed, "i was too busy freaking out thinking you'd died too."  
  
"Takes more than that to take me out."  
  
"They're gonna be after you now." Edea gestured "Malfoy was in the crowd, he'll go report it to Voldemort."  
  
"Was Harry?"  
  
"No. I didn't see him. Or any Hogwarts people." Edea shrugged. "I wonder what they'll say."  
  
"I'm free, Eddie." Sirius leaned back, "What CAN they say?"  
  
"A lot." Edea scowled, "Don't call me Eddie."  
  
"Sorry." Sirius grinned, "I forgot."  
  
"Yah," Edea sighed, "You know, if you want to get back in time to gloat at Snape at the dinner table, we should really go now."  
  
"How did you know...."  
  
"Sirius, think about that question hard."  
  
"Hmm." Sirius nodded "Can i just drop by Diagon Alley first?"  
  
"Sure." Edea got up, "You getting a broom again?"  
  
"Not so fast." Sirius shook his head. "I'll settle for a few decent robes first. And some money from my vault."  
  
"Righty, you're leading. It's that damn bike of yours, remind me never to ride it gain."  
  
"You brought the bike?"  
  
"Yes." Edea moaned, "I can't drive bikes."  
  
"yet you can drive your mercedes."  
  
"Who told you i had a mercedes?"  
  
"Nobody," Sirius grinned, "I called in on your place when i got out, and i thought you'd moved! There's amazingly clean car in the drive and no broomstick to even clean the floor with."  
  
"I like living like muggles, its much simpler."  
  
"Yet you're an Auror?"  
  
"It pays well," Edea shrugged, "And it was Remus' idea."  
  
"Moony told old Dayah to be an Auror?" Sirius laughed as he revved the bike's engines, "Get on,"  
****  
  
  
  
  
Dumbledore brought a very scared Harry into his office, where Cornelius Fudge was pacing the room.  
"Well?" Dumbleore sat down  
  
"I... Er..." Fudge loosened his tie. "Well, the jury stated Mr.Black innocent, and er.. he's disappeared."  
  
"Innocent?" Harry jumped up, beaming "How?"  
  
"Your DADA teacher, er... kindly filled in the role for Mr.Black's speaker, and er... well... she's very convincing."  
  
"She didn't need to convince, just state the facts." Dumbledore rested his head on his fingers.  
"Harry?"  
  
"Why's he disappeared?"  
  
"I believe.. he probably wants to taste freedom again." Fudge commented, "And with that DuCruet, freedom will take a while."  
  
Harry blushed, "You mean, Sirius and Professor DuCruet.."  
  
"Were very close." Dumbledore finished, "And if i remember correctly, it all went badly downhill after Sirius was imprisoned."  
  
"Is he coming back?"  
  
"OF course!" Dumbledore let out a chuckle. "He has a world of jokes and pranks to play before his curtain falls."  
  
Fudge rolled his eyes. "You realise what a disruption this will cause?"  
  
"Inevitably." Dumbledore sighed. "But i stand by the fact that this is a good thing."  
  
"Headmaster," Harry looked thoughtful, "I was just wondering.. Now that Sirius is free.."  
  
"You may live with him once he has suitable accomodation and the appropriate enchantments are on the housing." Dumbledore nodded, "Now, if you're not careful, you shall miss your dinner. I suggest you go before it is over."  
  
Harry grinned, feeling like a weight had been lifted and raced down to the hall.  
***  
  
"Eddie." Sirius asked, walking up the steps to Hogwarts.  
  
"Don't call me eddie... yes?"  
  
"I had a thought."  
  
"Now that is a new concept for you. Is it lonely?" Edea cooed.  
  
"Very funny." Sirius smiled, "No, being serious. Spelt S.E.R.I.O.U.S."  
  
"Hit me."  
  
"Do you think we could uh... start where we left off?" Sirius prepared himself for a slap or rant or something.  
  
"Uhm." Edea stopped walking, "Wow."  
  
"Can i take a 'wow' as a 'yes, okay sirius, i'd love to'?" Sirius looked at her with a slight grin.  
  
"You may take it as a 'yes, but if you dare bewitch me when i'm sleeping again i will transfigure your sorry ass into a pencil."  
  
"Just my ass?" Sirius grinned, "That would look slightly odd."  
  
"Sirius??" Came a voice from the doorway, "You okay?"  
  
"My ass has been threatened." Sirius replied very solemnly to a worried looking Harry, Hermoine and Ron.  
  
"What?" Ron asked.  
  
"My ass is in grave danger should i bewitch Eddie into a cat-human hybrid again while she's sleeping."  
  
"Don't call me Eddie." Edea snarled at him again.  
  
"You did that?" Ron asked  
  
"Oh yeah." Sirius shurgged it off, "It was nothing."  
  
"I retaliated." Edea smiled evilly. "It took him ages to pronounce his consonants properly again."  
  
"She charmed me to speak pig-latin all day." Sirius moaned. "It was awful, i had Remus and James laughing at me."  
  
Harry had a faraway look. "I remember."  
  
"You DO?" Sirius rushed over to Harry, "What do you remember?"  
  
"Not much, blurry scenes and stuff, you and Dayah. You came to our house... And Dad was laughing at you because of your voice. I remember calling you Pah-fuuf, and you couldn't say my name properly, everyone was laughing at you." Harry screwed up his eyes trying to bring back that visual.  
  
"It was James' birthday bash. Spectacular as ever." Sirius grinned, "Apart from my pig-latin."  
  
"oh that just added to the entertainment." Edea smiled. "You couldnt say any of the spells properly to uncurse yourself and noone would help you."  
  
"Yes but that was until i threatened you with no serrprrrpppphh." Edea slapped her hand over his mouth. "Shut up."  
  
"Sirius." Harry looked up  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Dumbledore, he said i could.. you know.. if you wanted me to that is.. move away from the Dursleys."  
  
"Of course you can live with us." Sirius laughed, "That's not even a question."  
  
"us?" Edea raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, i just assumed that.." Sirius threw up his hands "Oh, man."  
  
"No thats okay, i just wanted to hear that out loud."  
  
"can i gloat at Snape now?" Sirius stood up  
  
"I think he's taking Edea's class." Ron said  
  
"WHAT?" Edea said shocked. "How DARE he teach my class."  
  
"Oh dear." Sirius sighed. "He's in for it now."  
  
Harry and Hermione shared a look. Ron was busy waving at a figure running towards them, "Look, its Lupin."  
  
"Moony!" Sirius grabbed Remus into a bearhug. "I'm legally free!"  
  
"I know Paddy, i know." Remus couldn't help but laugh at his old friend. "We got the ahem... 'special edition' daily prophet."  
  
"Pretty good is it?"  
  
"Quite." Remus nodded, saying hi to the rest, "Where'd Eddie go?"  
  
"She went to go kick Snape's ass." Sirius whooped.  
  
"I thought she didn't want to be called Eddie?" Hermione asked  
  
"Thats' the entire point." Remus nodded, "We just do it to annoy."  
  
"She's so cute when she's angry." Sirius smiled widely like a fool.  
  
"Oh god." Remus rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."  
  
"Oh no," Hermione suddenly said, "You realise we're late for Potions?"  
  
"Who's taking potions if snape is taking DADA?" Harry wondered.  
  
The three students walked into the castle leaving an ecstatic Sirius and Remus on the steps.  
  
TBC  
  
  
  



	7. Floating Heads and Surprises

Second to Go- *Seven*  
dedicated to Arianwen/anna/holly Lupin for dedicating her chapter to me for dedicating my last chpter to her... whoa craaayzay!  
A/n- there'll probably be only ten of these. three more after this one then.. phew, i have two other stories to finish! Hmm so where was i... oh yeah.  
  
  
  
  
"Snape." Edea peered round her classroom door, "OUT. NOW."  
  
Draco Malfoy sneered at her, "I'm going to tell my father..."  
  
"Oh yeah. Your father." Edea bent down near his desk so she was at eye level with him. "Me and your father know each other quite well, he's got enough sense to stay out of my way."  
  
Draco sneered again. "He'll report you for hitting Snape."  
  
Edea raised an eyebrow, lowering her voice so only Draco could hear. "I know what he is, boy. And so do you. He comes up to me and starts threatening me, i'll arrest him. And for your information, i have proof."  
  
"You wouldn't dare. You touch him, and the Dark Lord will hunt you down." Draco spat.  
  
"Bring it on." Edea grinned. "I'm dying for a good fight."  
  
"You'll be interestingly dead at the end of it."  
  
"We'll have to wait and see won't we." Edea stood up, coughing to address the class. "Okay, i'm sure you're all very upset that Professor Snape had to leave so soon, after teaching you all about... what WAS he teaching you about?"  
  
"Untrustworthy Aurors." Pansy answered.  
  
"Really, oh well that's rich coming from HIM." Edea muttered to herself. "You know what? I don't realy feel like teaching you if you don't want to learn, i mean what's it to me if Voldemort blows you all up?"  
  
The class shuddered at the mention of his name. "What's that? Can't you say his name? He is a person you know, he does HAVE a name. And its not like he can hear you."  
  
"Don't patronise your class, Eddie." Came a voice from the room.  
  
The class turned to look at who it was. They saw nobody. It spoke again, "I mean, even if they ARE slytherins, its just not right in this day and age, is it!"  
  
"Don't call me Eddie." Edea fumed. "When i find you, you're dead."   
  
"Uh oh." The voice said in a sing-song voice. "The auror's after me."  
  
"Sirius. If that's you..."  
  
"It could be anbody." The voice replied. Edea's eyes narrowed, as Malfoy was suddenly knocked forward by a force from behind him. Malfoy turned round, spluttering with rage.  
  
"Zamianden, jestru mi am demm." Edea pointed her wand at the air behind Draco and a fierce wind blew cross the room, revealing Sirius' head.  
  
"SIRIUS BLACK!" Draco Malfoy's eyes widened, his hand reaching for his wand. The others in the class did the same until Edea charmed all of the class's wands to float near the ceiling.  
  
"Sirius." Edea raised an eyebrow. "How nice of your head to join us."  
  
"Yes it is isn't it." Sirius grinned. "The rest of me was rather busy you see,"  
  
Edea shook her head, "Out, now."  
  
"Gone." Sirius made his way to the door. "Talk about moody women."  
  
Edea spent the next half hour trying to calm down her class after seeing a so-called-murderer in their lesson.  
***  
  
  
  
  
Sirius and Remus sat at the Gryffindor table that evening, talking animatedly with Lee Jordan, Fred, Goerge and Harry about a prank they'd played on Snape in their sixth year.  
  
"But you see, the thing was, Professor Patten, the slytherin house master couldnt see it." Sirius laughed  
  
"Why?" Harry looked confused  
  
"Your father charmed it so only those under the age of 21 could see the effects. It was an illusion charm, nothing was actually wrong with Snape's face." Remus informed.  
  
Harry grinned, looking up at Snape at the Professor's table and just trying to imagine him with scaped, bubbled eyes and no nose. It was quite a sight to imagine. He did a double take, was that Snape being nice? He was actually smiling.  
  
"Uhm, guys." Fred had also noticed, "Why's he smiling?"  
  
"Didn't you know?" Hermione started to talk patronisingly, "It was in the daily prophet, He's been nominated for Potion Master of the Decade award run by the ministry."  
  
"Oh no." Sirius groaned.  
  
"He's gonna become unbearable." Ron muttered, "i can just see his smarmy face winning..."  
  
"Not gonna happen." Harry shook his head, "Who else is he up against?"  
  
"A guy called Zirab Mustafa, and Leonore Vay." Hermione read out.  
  
Remus almost choked, "Leonore VAY? She's like... amazing at potions, snape won't stand a chance."  
  
Dumbledore stood up and got the attention of all the students. "Good evening students." He started, "Firstly, i'd like to welcome two old Hogwarts Students back into our ranks, Remus Lupin, who i believe taught here a few years back, and Sirius Black, who was one of the most mischeivous students i have ever come across..."  
  
"Aw, such kindness, you make me blush." Sirius said loudly.  
  
"Thank you, Mr.Black." Dumbledore smiled, "And secondly, on a sadly more graver note, i feel it is my duty to inform you that Lord Voldemort has struck once again, without reason, and without thought. I am sure you will feel scared and very saddened at the loss of our Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who was brutally murdered as he returned back to London from Hogwarts."  
  
A murmur went round as Dumbledore paused for a moment. Edea, who was sitting at the Professor's table too a long hard look at Draco Malfoy, who looked like he was going to be sick.   
  
"A replacement has not yet been posted, in respect to the loss. It is of a great impotance that you take his death as a warning, to remian safe, and please for your own lives, do not be tempted by the darker side of magic. That is all."  
  
He sat back down and the atmosphere of the room was very much more subdued.  
  
TBC  
  
sorry this is short. i have something of greater importance to stick in chapter 8 which just wont fit in here....  
  
thanx to everyone! i love you all (sob!) 


	8. Arabian Words and Snake bites

Second to Go- *Eight*  
  
  
A/N- sorry, i just don't particularly like Cornelius Fudge, so i uh... disposed of him. :)  
  
  
"He killed Fudge?" Harry didn't quite believe his ears, "Fudge, the minister who's constantly surrounded by his pack of aurors?"  
  
"It seems that way." Lupin frowned. "I wonder who they've got in as a temporary replacement."  
  
"Maybe Professor DuCruet will know.." Hermione looked up where Dumbledore and Edea were talking in hushed tones.  
  
"I doubt it." Sirius shook his head, "If its one thing i vividly remember about Edea when she first joined the ministry was her intense dislike of Fudge, and anything to do with rules. She wouldn't know, and i doubt she'd really care."  
  
"Why didn't she like Fudge?" Ron asked  
  
"I quote.. 'Superior attitude that belongs in the Victorian Era..'." Sirius mimicked her voice.  
  
"She'll probably get a call out to London for this whole thing, On surveillance or reconnaisance." Lupin swirled his juice round in his goblet. "What she refers to as Lurking."  
  
"I'd like to be an auror." Hermione said thoughtfully, "It seems like my kind of thing."  
  
"You lose a lot of sleep. Studying mostly." Sirius gestured with his goblet, "She'd come home, you see- me, her and Remus shared a cottage, anyway she'd come home and collapse on the floor, and when she came round, she'd inevitably get stuck in a book on dark magic."  
  
"Sounds right up your street." Ron told Hermione.  
  
"And when she wasn't home she'd be in a different country, researching." Remus added. "Good souvenirs though."  
  
"She's got a stash of magic carpets somewhere." Sirius agreed, grinning.   
  
"I thought they were illegal?" Harry asked, intrigued.   
  
"Oh they are." Lupin smiled, "I doubt it being illegal would stop her. It's Sirius' influence."  
  
"That's right." Sirius moaned "Blame me."  
  
"My pleasure." Remus friendly punched his old friend's arm. "Just ask,"  
***  
  
  
Sirius sat on Edea's desk in her little office that had belonged to Moody, Lupin and Lockhart before her. She was busy stuffing a whole range of weapons into a little black bag.   
  
"You're leaving?" Sirius asked, pointing out the obvious.  
  
"I'm going out to Lurk." She grinned. "I've got a lead."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Did you see how sick Malfoy looked when Dumbledore told the school about Fudge?"   
  
"No, i thought he always looked pale and deathly, family trait." Sirius picked up her quill.  
  
"His father had something to do with it." Edea said firmly. "And where there are Death Eaters..."  
  
"There will be Wormtail." Sirius caught on. "Ed, i'd really like to come with you, you know, just catch the bugger."  
  
"You'd kill him, and get sent to Azkaban for real." Edea shook her head, "This is a job for an Auror."  
  
Sirius looked slightly hurt, "I could do it."  
  
"Honestly, with dementors?" Edea zipped up her bag, "I don't want to lose another Marauder, especially not this one."  
  
"Really, Eddie, i never knew you were so sentimental."  
  
"Don't. Call. Me. Eddie." Edea groaned.  
  
"Don't go and die, will you?" Sirius grabbed her before she walked out of the door. "Don't do something stupid."  
  
"I'm not GOING to die, if i catch Voldemort, he can't kill me, you know that. Just.. stay here, look after Harry." Edea walked out of the door, leaving Sirius staring after her.  
***  
  
  
"I wonder if they'll get Bagman on as Minister." Ron wondered as he read the Quidditch section on the daily prophet.  
  
"An ex-death eater?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so. You know they wanted Dumbledore for the job."  
  
"But he didn't want to leave this school." Hermione pointed out. "They'll probably get Moody or someone."  
  
"I hope so, he seems pretty up to date with all the dark arts."  
  
"Talking of dark arts, did you see what Profesor DuCruet had tattooed on her arm yesterday?" Hermione snapped her book shut. "I was reading up on it."  
  
"And?" Ron asked, totally uninterested.  
  
"i think she's delving into the dark magic."  
  
"Well Sirius said it was part of the job..." Harry shrugged it off.  
  
"No, but casting magic on yourself?" Hermione showed Harry a page in her book. "Look see, thats' what was tattooed on her arm, its like... like a semi immortality thing."  
  
"A whatty?" Ron looked up.  
  
"She had really tiny writing tattooed onto her wrist. I read up on magic tattoos, and found an exact match. It's arabic dark magic." Hermione had caught their attention.  
  
"What does it do?"  
  
"Well its pretty vague, i mean it said the important wizards wore them in ancient times, it gave them sort of a semi-god status. But it got into mis-use and thats what the war of the immortals was about." Hermione whispered. "That's why she's survived so long as an auror without looking like Moody, can't you see? She's using the dark arts for herself."  
  
"She's not a bad witch." Harry said a little too loud. "Are you SURE its that tattoo?"  
  
"Positive." Hermione stated, nodding her head.  
  
"What're you so positive about?" An interested Sirius leaned over the arm of the chair.  
  
"Hi Sirius." Harry and Ron said together.  
  
"Uhm, nothing." Hermione tried to hide the book, but Sirius had plucked it out of her hands, he paled a bit when he saw what they were reading.  
  
"Oh," He muttered, "You're pretty observant."  
  
"So, Professor DuCruet does use dark arts?" Hermione asked Sirius.  
  
"I wouldnt say it like that." Siruis sat down in a chair he'd conjured. "It keeps her safe."  
  
"She's a god?" Ron said, not really understanding what Hermione was talking about.  
  
"Noooo." Sirius waved away the comment. "Perfectly human, believe me, i should know."  
  
"Uhm, great, thanks for that wonderful visual." Harry pulled a face at Sirius.  
  
"Listen," Sirius said quietly. "She was reading up on what Voldemort was trying to achieve by attempting to become immortal, and ran across this tattoo purely by chance." He smiled. "She came home so cheerful that day. "It needs two wizards to cast it upon the vessel, and it can only be tried once. So me and Remus agreed, it worked pretty well. It just keeps her safe."  
  
"Nothing else? No megalomaniacal tendencies as a side effect?" Ron asked.  
  
"No no." Sirius laughed. "Look, its a good thing, and it makes her reflexes so much quicker, she can duck an Avada Kedavra with only seconds notice, its amazing to watch. And it keeps her a lot less stressed knowing they dont have so much of a chance of killing her."  
  
"Why don't other people... my family.." Harry asked almost silently.  
  
"Harry." Sirius looked sad, "After the immortal war, the curse was cursed. Only one person per generation may wear it. If it was different, of course your parents would have had it."  
  
"Wasn't there a way to remove the curse on the curse?" Hermione looked in her book.   
  
"No." Sirius shook his head. "but i'm glad she got it when she did, do you know what happened to her only days before Halloween that year?"  
  
"No." Harry said truthfully, "She never said."  
  
"It's not really my place to tell you, anyway. She got cornered, four death eaters and Voldemort himself."  
  
"She was alone?"   
  
"No, she had another Auror with her, he got killed immediately, she couldnt stop it. They tried to kill her too, but she reflected the curse with a metal trash can lid. it rebounded on one of the death eaters, and so they closed in. Placing an anti-apparition hex over her head."  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at Sirius with interest.  
  
"She made a dash for it, they'd taken her wand. Pushed them out of the way and dodging curses, then that wretched snake of Voldemort's caught her ankle. She fell and was pummeled with as many curses as possible from Voldemort, they severely weakened her, but none got through. Anyway, by this time a whole team of aurors were onto it, and Voldemort had disappeared. Honestly, they thought she was dead, face down in the mud. It took a few weeks in hospital to bring her round. And when she woke up, i was in Azkaban, Remus in hiding, Peter supposedly dead by my hand and your parents gone. Not a nice welcome. Of course she thought i had done it, like everyone else."  
  
Harry shuddered. "how did you convince her?"  
  
"I didn't" Sirius replied "She went to Remus and was there last year when i came round to get him as Snuffles, she hexed me the moment i came through the door, until we'd managed to tell her the whole story." he snorted, "Or as much as she stayed to listen to, she disappeared pretty quickly after, i think i put her on edge a bit."  
***  
  
  
Edea slinked close to the ground, near a cave entrance where voices were coming out from. A cold high voice was laughing, and congratulating someone on the murder of Fudge.  
  
"hello Riddle." Edea muttered to herself. She barely ever called him Voldemort to his face. She loaded her crossbow, it was a new kind of weapon to use for her, but it killed dementors, and from the cold atmosphere there were quite a few of these in the vicinity. Eight arrows loaded, it was highly unlikely there would be more than eight dementors in there. Putting down her crossbow, she unhooked a small knife and made a shallow cut across her tattoo, the words written on her wrist suddenly glowed bright white before disappearing.  
Slipping her wand down the side of her boot, she tiptoed across to the cave entrance.  
  
She whipped round the side and aimed her crossbow, nothing. There was nothing there. Thinking something was up, Edea ventured into the dark cave.  
  
"I'm so glad you came." Came the cold high voice. Edea screamed in shock as the cave mouth closed.  
  
"You wont be needing that." Voldemort pointed at her crossbow which combusted. "I find them highly overrated."  
  
"Oh.... great." Edea looked past Voldemort and saw Lucius Malfoy pointing his wand directly at her. "Theres a good word for this... help."  
  
  
  
TBC... thank you to everybody, i love getting reviews and writing more.. i have an exam in a few days but do i revise.. nuh uh! 


	9. To the Rescue

Second to Go- *Nine*  
  
A/n OKay, i might to 12 instead of 10. it wont fit in 10.  
  
  
  
Sirius and Remus were awoken by a very worried Dumbledore, after they'd groggily come round to the land of the living, he explained what was going on.  
  
"Listen, this is very important." Dumbledore silenced the two marauders. "I sent Fawkes after Edea, just to keep watch over her, and Fawkes returned just now, i have reason to believe Edea is in a great deal of trouble with Voldemort himself."  
  
"I knew it." Sirius loked pale.   
  
"Fawkes will lead to you to the cave where she disappeared, i suggest you take Buckbeat. Don't try to kill them, just get her out of there." Dumbledore warned Remus and Sirius as they pulled on their cloaks. "Do i have your word you wont try anything?"  
  
"You have," Sirius and Remus nodded, heading out of the door.  
***  
  
  
"Well, i didn't think you'd be here alone." Voldemort sat down in his chair after getting rid of the dementors, watching Edea be chained to the cave wall by a gleeful Malfoy. "A little presumptuous, don't you think?.. Oh no i forgot, you dont think, you just run staight on and do the deed don't you."  
  
"I'm not even going to grace that comment..."  
  
"SILENCE!" Voldemort shouted, "You know, you remind me very much of that idiot partner of yours, Sirius Black. Full of himself, and look where that got him."  
  
"Sirius is none of your business."  
  
"I wonder if they've even noticed you're missing yet." Voldemort smiled, "Probably not, always wrapped up in his own things wasn't he..."  
  
"Actually..." Edea stopped as she saw a stout figure come in through the cave mouth and bow down to Voldemort.  
  
"You remember Miss DuCruet, don't you Wormtail?" Voldemort talked to the figure.  
  
"Y... yes master." Peter squeaked.  
  
"Oh, you." Edea said resignedly. "The biggest mistake your parents made was you."  
  
"That wasn't very nice." Malfoy sneered, "I suggest you choose your words wisely, DuCruet."  
  
"Oh" Edea pulled forward as much as possible, "Cuz you're just so scary, aren't you."   
  
"You are unafraid?" Voldemort smiled oddly.  
  
"Thats for me to know." Edea said simply. "I know something you don't know."  
  
"Really?" Volemort stood up ripping her sleeve off, "Does it have somehing to do with..."  
He looked at her wrist, there was nothing there. "Where's the curse?"  
  
"What a good ques....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh." Voldemort had placed the Cruciatus curse on her before she could finish.  
***  
  
  
  
Harry woke up suddenly. His scar was burning with pain. He had been dreaming, it was all blurry and he couldnt quite remember, but he was sure Lucius Malfoy was present. Grabbing his cloak, he made his way up to Dumbledore's office.  
***  
  
  
  
Sirius scanned the face of the cliff, Fawkes had disappeared in through a hole, and he was looking for a way up the rock without attracting the attention that he would if he and Remus were on Buckbeat.  
  
"Maybe as the dog.." Remus whispered to Sirius. He didn't finish his sentence as a scream was heard.  
  
"Eddie." Sirius muttered, grasping at the rocks as he transformed into the black dog. He carefully trod a path close to the cliff-face, that slowly, Remus followed.  
***  
  
  
  
By the seventh unforgivable, Edea was slumped against the floor, one more and she would have had it. She was already drifting in and out of consciousness, she didn't see the phoenix flying in, neither did she see Sirius launch at Voldemort's back, ripping away his wand whilst Remus aimed a few hexes at the two death eaters. Voldemort threw Sirius off, enraged, he ran at the crouched form of Wormtail and stole his wand.   
  
"Accio wand." Sirius shouted, grabbing Wormtail's wand as Voldemort aimed it at Remus.  
***  
  
  
"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore ushered the boy into his office.  
  
"My scar.." Harry started, "It was throbbing, and woke me up just minutes ago..."  
  
"Yes, that fits rather well." Dumbledore muttered.  
  
"I loked for Sirius and Lupin, but they weren't there..."  
  
"Lupin and Black are on a quick retrieval mission for me, it seems one of ours has gotten into a slight mess." Dumbledore frowned, "They should come back soon."  
  
"Professor DuCruet..." Harry mumbled, "What happened?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Dumbledore said quietly, "I hope she's in a state to tell us when they return.  
***  
  
  
  
Voldemort turned to face Sirius, who looked slightly less confident now. Remus somehow picked up the Dark Lord's large chair and flung it round, hitting Voldemort unconscious. Sirius ran at Edea, charming the chains to unlock, letting Remus hold off Malfoy and Peter, he lifted Edea over his shoulder and whistled to Buckbeat who hovered just at the cave's mouth, Sirius jumped, landing on the creature's back.   
  
Remus walked backwards, still shouting curses, and ducking from return hexes. He climbed on behind Sirius and Buckbeat flew off, towards Hogwarts.  
  
"We could have caught Peter." Sirius muttered as the flew across the Thames.  
  
"I doubt it." Remus answered after a while. "Much to difficult, and we had an agreement to honour."  
  
"True." Sirius agreed   
  
"She okay?" Remus asked concerned.  
  
"No idea. Breathing, yes but not much else." Sirius awkwardly pulled his coak off, covering Edea.  
  
"We should stop somewhere, or our dear friend's wings might give way."  
  
"Next deserted field," Sirius promised.  
***  
  
  
  
Harry walked back to his dorm. His head spinning with information and worry. What if Sirius and Remus didn't come back? what if they were injured or worse.... He couldn't sleep, and just sat by the window looking out to the forbidden forest.   
***  
  
  
  
"Okay, you tie up Buckbeat and I'll take Eddie." Sirius climbed off the hippogriff who was looking a little worse for wear. "We're not far from Hogwarts now, I know for a fact that Hogsmeade is about 25miles due northeast from here."  
  
"How can you tell."  
  
"Look at the stars, in this season orion always points to Hogwarts."  
  
"Very clever." Remus nodded, "How did you find that out?"  
  
"You get bored in Azkaban, believe me." Sirius sighed, sitting back against a tree. "You think we should try to get her awake?"  
  
"If you think it'd help." Remus said concerned. "Her wand's sticking out of her boot, look."  
  
"Oh." Sirius pulled out her wand. "Look at that, still perfect all this time after she bought it."  
  
"Well, she was pretty possessive of those things." Remus smiled weakly pulling his cloak around him. "What do muggles do to wake people?"  
  
"Slap them, apparently." Sirius said dubiously. "I wonder if.."  
  
"uh no.. Sirius let me." Remus pointed his wand at Edea, "Risvegliarsi." he muttered.   
  
Edea spluttered, then let out a moan "My.. head.. hurts..."  
  
"Remus," Sirius shot a look of gratitude to his friend, "Have i ever told you how much i love you?"  
  
"Countless times." Remus smiled yawning.  
  
"S'okay Eddie." Sirius muttered, "I told you not to go."  
  
"Bugger off." She answered. "I... got told.. to go."   
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Bagman." Edea yawned. "Contagious." she whispered, as she fell aslep.  
  
"Bagman's contagious?" Sirius asked confused  
  
"No she was saying my yawning's contagious." Remus held back a laugh at Sirius's face. "Sleep. She'll be there in the morning you know."  
  
"Not with my luck." Sirius moaned.  
***  
  
  
  
As morning dawned upon Hogwarts, a sleepy Ron found Harry, bleary eyed staring out at the forest.  
"You okay?"  
  
"They've gone to help." Harry muttered.  
  
"Who have?"  
  
"Lupin and Sirius." Harry had to smother a yawn. "They're supposed to be back now."  
  
"I'm sure they'll be back soon." Ron looked at Harry. "You should eat something, mum always said it made you feel better."  
  
"yeah." harry pulled on some socks, "I'll catch you down there."  
  
"'Kay." Ron took a last concerned look at his friend before heading down.  
  
At the table, Harry was unusually quiet, even the twins noticed. After the bell rang, he silently disappaered off to his first lesson. Hermione followed him, determined to cheer him up.  
***  
  
  
Remus woke up to the sound of birds singing and a smell of cooking sausages. "Sirius?" he asked  
  
"Oh yeah." Sirius munched on his sausage, "I forgot to wake you, here." He handed Remus a sausage on a stick. "I can cook, and who knew?"  
  
"Uh, i always knew you had it in you somewhere." Remus attempted a smile. "how's the Dayah?"  
  
"Sleeping." Sirius pointed out the obvious as always.   
  
"You want me to wake her again?" Remus offered.  
  
"No." Sirius shook his head. "Let Dumbledore decide, anyway, we should be going."  
  
They bowed to Buckbeat, and climbed back on.  
  
  
TBC... argh.. shall i let her die... hehehheheheeheee that would be fun! 


	10. The End of it all... or is it?

Second to Go- *Ten*  
  
I'm obsessed with my own story- how sad is that? hehehe- okay this is the final part. It'll have a sequel called something along the lines of "Blackened Days"  
  
  
  
Edea woke up with a start and promptly screamed.  
  
"I told you she'd do that." Madam Pomfrey told Dumbledore as he tried to stop the ringing in his ears. "But would you listen? oh no..."  
  
"Edea?" Dumbledore spoke quietly, "You're okay now, it's over."  
  
"What the hell happened?"  
  
"Over-tortured by Voldemort, and from what i've heard from Sirius and Remus, Lucius Malfoy had a part to play."  
  
"I remember." Edea nodded, sitting up. "They knew i was coming and tricked me."  
  
"She's awake?" Sirius stuck his head round the door. "That's a good thing because Remus is having a great deal of trouble controlling his class of DADA students."  
  
"Funny, Sirius." Edea snarked.  
  
"Oh, she's back to normal then." Sirius rolled his eyes as Remus walked in  
  
"How long was i out?" Edea waved at Remus  
  
"Since last night when you got attacked, its about 3pm now." Dumbledore looked at the sundial near the window. "You're improving on your down-time."  
  
"Yeah. It wasn't as bad, after the 4th and 4th attack i kinda tuned it out. Slipped into unconsciousness instead. Did i miss anything?"  
  
"Apart from Sirius bawling his eyes out this morning, and me hitting Voldemort round the head with a chair? No, not really." Remus grinned at Sirius who went pink  
  
"You hit HIM?" Edea grinned, "Amazing."  
  
"Very therapeutic." Remus nodded.  
  
"I can't believe you told her that." Sirius hissed at Remus.  
  
"It's very sweet." Edea smiled. "can i get up now?"  
  
Madam Pomfrey raised a quizzical eyebrow. "If you think you can walk without falling down, then yes."  
  
Edea hoisted herself out of bed. "That was such a gift of god."  
  
"I totally agree." Sirius grabbed her waist, keeping her straight. "C'mon, you are going down without falling."  
  
"You know, even Snape came to see you." Sirius told her as they walked down through the corridors, "He looked a bit pale."  
  
"well we're friends aren't we." Edea shrugged, "He can look pale if he wants to. Me, i have a Malfoy to beat the crap out of..."  
  
"Ohhh no, you're not going near any death eater." Remus grabbed her other arm, "Even if you're ordered, okay?"  
  
"Yes, mother." Edea rolled her eyes, "I AM an auror you know."  
  
"Who just had a nasty run in with Voldie, you have some down time to take advantage of you know."  
Sirius kicked open the door to her office.  
  
"You seen Harry yet?" Edea asked, delving through her trunk.  
  
"Yeah, lunch time." Sirius nodded, "He was so relieved to see us. By the look on his face, you would have thought we'd just been reincarnated or something."  
  
Edea grinned a little. "You gotta hand it to the guy,"  
  
Remus muttered something about rowdy seventh years as an explosion was heard along the corridor, he left, closing the door behind him.  
  
Sirius at back down on the desk again. "I was worried, when i saw you."  
  
"Did i look that bad?" Edea frowned, looking at the bruises on her face, "I didn't feel so bad."  
  
"Well... I think i've done my share of heroics for the week, don't you?"  
  
"Definitely. I just wish.."  
  
"Wish what?"  
  
"I'd caught Peter. Blown up Malfoy, and dismembered Voldemort."  
  
"That's quite a bit for a day's work." Sirius smiled, watching her pout at the mirror.  
  
"I know." She whispered.  
  
"Wipe that ugly pout off your face young lady." The mirror squaked at her. "It's incredibly unbecoming."  
  
"Thanks." Edea frowned, "That was SUCH an ego-boost."  
  
"Yeah, like your ego NEEDS boosting." Sirius laughed.  
  
"Don't you start on my ego."  
  
"Portare." Sirius point his wand at her. Edea slid across the room towards him, dragged by the magic.  
  
"That was just unfair." Edea gave him a playful slap.  
  
"We play by my rules." He grinnned, pulling her closer, he kissed her.  
  
"Uhm, guys?" Sirius pulled away sharply at the voice, seeing Remus stick his head round the door.  
"Just wanted to remind you to come up for air."  
  
"You. Are. Dead." Sirius growled as he chased Remus out of the room.  
  
"Great." Edea said to herself. "Explain that one."  
***  
  
  
The summer holidays were drawing closer, and Sirius had purchased a house just outside Hogsmeade.  
Harry was geting excited about finally leaving the Dursleys, whom he hadn't told yet. He wanted Sirius to tell them for him, just to see their faces.   
  
"You can come to visit." Harry said to Ron and Hermione as the Hogwarts Express drew into platform 9 3/4. "I think Sirius wants to go on holiday early August, but i'll owl you when i get back."  
  
"Like i'd miss seeing a house that belongs to Sirius Black." Ron joked.  
  
"Good luck with telling the Dursleys," Hermione shouted to Hary as she went through the barrier.  
Harry had already seen Edea and Sirius walk through. Planning on ambushing Mr.Dursley from behind.   
  
As Harry pushed his trolley through the barrier he spotted the red-faced Dursley at once, looking extremely moody.   
  
"You got your stuff, boy?" Vernon barked, giving his owl a glare.  
  
"Yes." Hary smiled.  
  
"What're you smiling for?" Mr.Dursley's moustace twitched nervously as a black-haired figure he faintly recognised from the TV walked up to him. "What do you want?" He said menacingly  
  
"Oh, nothing much, my godson really." Sirius shrugged.  
  
"You're Mr.Dursley?" Edea came up brightly, shaking his hand with as much fake enthusiasm as she could muster. "You really are something aren't you. Taking care of Harry for all those years..."  
  
"WHO ARE YOU?" he bellowed  
  
"I'm Harry's Godfather, Siris Black." Sirius grinned widely. "And this is Edea, i'm sure you recognise her from your sister in law's wedding..."  
  
"TAke him. You FREAKS!" Vernon said loudly to them. "And dont come dropping him on our doorstep when you get what you asked for!!!"  
  
"Oh don't worry." Sirius winked. "We'll drop something far more hideous on that doorstep of yours if you're not careful."  
  
Harry joined in with the laugher as Vernon Dursley almost ran out of the station to his car.  
"C'mon." Sirius took hold of Harry's trolley. "You have a room to decorate."  
  
END 


End file.
